Police said too many people leave themselves vulnerable to criminals this time of year, simply by what they leave visible in their parked cars.

Sgt. Trevor Ballard of the Riverside Police Department walked through the lot of the Red X store, demonstrating how many valuable items had been left in plain sight.

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"These are just an open glass container, basically, that anybody can look in and see," Ballard said.

One of the first cars he checked had a radio that was easy for a thief to grab and re-sell.

"Criminals like targets of opportunity," Ballard said. "If you let them take advantage of you, they will do it. Don't make it easier for them."

In less than 20 minutes, Ballard spotted nearly a dozen vehicles with what he called targets, including purses and receipts with sensitive information. He said an identity thief can use a receipt to cause a lot of damage.

"Things of value, things with names, things with dates of birth, Social Security numbers, (there are) all kinds of valuable, sensitive information," he said.

While the risk is big enough with a locked car, Ballard said the belongings are a particularly tempting target in cars with the locks and windows open.